The NFL Scouting Combine is in the rearview mirror, and the Panthers are inching closer to improving their 2026 roster.
Free agency is less than two weeks away. The draft is coming up in April. And Panthers fans have questions about the future of their favorite team.
That’s why The Charlotte Observer has brought back the Monday mailbag to answer some of those inquiries.
Below are answers to some notable questions asked through various platforms:
A prime target in free agency
Anthony on X asks: Seems like it is hard to figure out who the Panthers may target in free agency. From a linebacker standpoint Devin Lloyd seems to make a lot of sense with his age and the type of players they go after. Do you get that same sense, or where do you stand?
Mike Kaye: Anthony, I think you’re on point with connecting the dots.
As previously discussed on the Processing Blue podcast and in the Access Panthers newsletter, Lloyd makes sense for the Panthers because of how they’ve taken advantage of adding top-of-market talent at non-premium positions in the past.
In 2024, the Panthers lit up the guard market by offering top dollar to eventual Pro Bowl blocker Robert Hunt ($100 million over five years). They also handed a hefty deal to left guard Damien Lewis ($53 million over four years) as well. In 2025, GM Dan Morgan aggressively pursued safety Tre’von Moerhig with a three-year, $51 million deal.
The Panthers clearly want to draft and develop premium positions to keep costs down, while also getting better with proven talent at non-premium spots.
Frankly, paying the top inside linebacker on the market won’t cost anywhere near the spending on a top-tier defensive tackle or outside linebacker. So, with the Panthers needing to upgrade their inside linebacker room, Lloyd not only fits a major need, but he also fits a talent dynamic the team has philosophically zeroed-in on.
Lloyd, 27, is a phenomenal athlete with a first-round pedigree. He had five interceptions last season, too. The front office and coaching staff want to get faster and smarter on defense. They also want to create more takeaways. So, Lloyd feels like an ideal fit if he is within budget.
As this beat writer opined last offseason, Milton Williams was an ideal target for Carolina. However, he priced out of their range. So, it’s all about the dollars at the end of the day, but Lloyd feels like a top-target on paper.
To restructure or not to restructure?
Thomas on Threads asks: Who’s in line for restructuring their contracts, and how much cap space can be freed up to use towards free agency?
In a few cases, the Panthers have the option of converting a large chunk of base salary into a signing bonus. That cap charge can then be spread throughout the remainder of a long-term contract.
This mechanism essentially borrows cap space from future years to open up room in the present. It’s called restructuring.
And while that sounds like a reasonable move to make with several players on a playoff team, the Panthers have been very shrewd when it comes to managing the cap for the long haul. Morgan and EVP of Football Operations Brandt Tilis want to be build a consistent, long-term contender, so they will try to avoid unforced errors as much as they can.
Ideally, restructure candidates should be among the team’s best players with long-term outlooks. They also should have long-term deals with high base salaries to make the restructure worth it.
Defensive end Derrick Brown, cornerback Jaycee Horn and Moehrig are really the logical candidates. According to Over the Cap, a full restructure of Brown’s deal would open up $11.6 million in space. Horn’s restructuring — if done to the max — would save $12.3 million in 2026. Moehrig would save $6.78 million with a full restructure, but he could also open up $10.9 million in space with an extension as well. Moehrig was a standout last year, but given the lack of length in his contract (expires after the 2027 season), the Panthers could approach him with a new deal to lower his cap number and lock him up long term.
So, let’s say the Panthers restructure all three players to the maximum savings, they’d open up around $30 million in space. However, I wouldn’t expect them to immediately restructure the entire trio, barring a couple of major signings that push them near the cap limit. They’ll likely pick between Brown and Horn and then see how their free-agent pursuits go before touching the other incumbent deals.
While Hunt, who is signed through 2028, would open up $11.9 million with a total restructure, I wouldn’t expect the Panthers to push his deal down the road after a major biceps injury. Lewis, though, could make sense as a contract-extension candidate. Lewis has no guaranteed money left on his current contract and an extension could open up $9 million on the cap this offseason.
The Panthers can also save $10.5 million by releasing or trading defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson. As The Charlotte Observer previously reported, Robinson has received permission to seek a trade.
Another trade candidate is backup quarterback Andy Dalton. If he were to be moved in a swap, the Panthers would save $4 million in cap space. He is guaranteed $2 million on a $3.9 million base salary with another $100,000 in incentives.
While I don’t expect the Panthers to release tight end Tommy Tremble, his departure would open up $6 million in space.
The Panthers are currently projected by Over the Cap to have $10.27 million in cap space. But they have several mechanisms and options to open up big amounts of space in the coming days and weeks.
The backup QB situation
Leonard on X asks: Who are we bringing in to compete at QB? Do you think Andy Dalton gets traded and if so what’s the comp?
Morgan said something that caught my attention during last week’s media availability at the NFL Scouting Combine. He made it sound like he was interested in potentially double-dipping at backup QB, even with Dalton still on the roster.
He said the team could draft or sign a younger quarterback or do both. That outlook creates a lot of options for Carolina to explore.
Morgan has harped on mobility at the position when discussing his desire to add to the QB room.
While he’s not an exciting name, former draft bust Zach Wilson might make sense as a cheap gamble. He worked with new associate head coach Darrell Bevell in Miami last year, and he’s known for his athleticism. He’s also a reclamation project worth taking a shot on because of his mobility and draft pedigree. The Panthers won’t be in the Malik Willis market, but Tyler Huntley, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, could sense, too, if Carolina is chasing speed.
In the draft, Georgia Tech’s Haynes King and Penn State’s Drew Allar could make sense in the middle rounds. Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar, who previously played at Appalachian State, could appeal as a Day 3 pick to the Panthers as well. Jalon Daniels of Kansas could be a sleeper because of his mobility and California ties.
If the Panthers end up with two new QBs behind Young, they’ll almost certainly look to move Dalton. They’d likely have more leverage, though, before signing and/or drafting a passer. Morgan said Thursday on the Pat McAfee Show that he hadn’t received any trade calls on Dalton.
However, with free agency on the horizon, things could heat up. Deadlines spur action, and there are quite a few teams that need QB insurance. Dalton has shown he can mentor a younger QB, and he has enough ties elsewhere that he could be appealing as a stopgap starter.
Frank Reich is now the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets, and Josh McCown is the QBs coach for the Minnesota Vikings. Reich picked Dalton as Young’s sounding board in 2023, while McCown oversaw the position room that year. That’s not to say either team is interested, but it would make sense to talk to both squads if the Panthers decide to deal Dalton.
As far as trade value goes, the biggest incentive for trading Dalton is cap savings. As previously mentioned, the Panthers would save $4 million by sending Dalton elsewhere in a swap. So, the demand in a trade is likely to be minimal. The Panthers pick in the middle of the first six rounds of the draft. They also have the Vikings’ fifth-round pick.
The logical options for compensation would be a late-round pick swap or a conditional 2027 pick based on Dalton’s playing time. Otherwise, the Panthers could look to save cash and move up a few picks in the same round — the Jets and Vikings both have picks earlier in most rounds.
First-round exclusions
Dustin on Twitter asks: We know the front office has been preaching best player available, but is there any position (besides QB, WR, K) you’d rule out with the first-round pick?
I wouldn’t completely rule out wide receiver, but I get your point. The logical no-go positions are probably running back, guard and center.
If a dynamic playmaker at tight end or wide receiver were to fall to No. 19, the Panthers would likely consider that prospect. That said, offensive tackle, inside linebacker and edge rusher feel like the ideal positions to target prior to free agency.
The sleeper position, at least in my mind, is cornerback. Mike Jackson will be 30 at the end of the year, and he is on the final season of his contract. It’s worth considering the long-term picture at the position, especially if the potential first-round prospect can handle full-time nickel duties as a rookie.
The safety class is considered to be unusually deep, so it would be a bit surprising to see Morgan pounce on that position on Day 1. However, if the right guy fell to the late teens, maybe he’d be inclined to partner that rookie with Moehrig.